Merri-bek council blocks Eritrean National Communities Council from holding event at Coburg town hall amid fears of violence

A controversial African community group has been blocked from using a council hall for a rally amid fears it would be gatecrashed by rival factions and turn violent.

A still from a previous Eritrean National Communities Council event. Picture: Supplied/YouTube.

A controversial African group has been banned from using a council hall for a rally amid fears it would be gatecrashed by rival factions and incite violence.

Merri-bek council has booted the Eritrean National Communities Council from hosting a pro-Eritrean government rally at the Coburg Town Hall after previous events turned ugly.

The Herald Sun can reveal the event was cancelled after police advice that the safety risks would be too “high”.

It comes as violence erupted at an ENCC event last year in St Albans where 14 people were hospitalised after the group and Eritrean “pro-democracy” youth movement Blue Revolution clashed.

Eritrean National Communities Council

The Herald Sun understands other Melbourne councils have also refused ENCC access to their halls.

The ENCC has been accused by sections of Australia’s Eritrean community, including Blue Revolution, of being a “mouthpiece” for its “controlling” government which has detained nearly 10,000 political prisoners.

Hatu Gebremedhin, from Blue Revolution, said the ENCC spat out “propaganda”.

He accused the controversial group of holding “politically motivated militaristic” events.

Despite gaining independence from Ethiopia in 1991, Eritrea has been plagued by civil unrest for more than three decades,

The country has not held an election since it gained independence, with no other political parties — aside from the governing People’s Front for Democracy and Justice — allowed to exist.

Merri-bek city council. Picture: supplied: Facebook

A petition which called on authorities to stop “the politically motivated events masquerading as community celebrations” organised by Mr Gebremedhin has garnered more than 1300 signatures.

Mr Gebremedhin said he supported Merri-bek council’s decision to cancel the event.

ENCC tried to hold this rally in January in Altona North but were shut down by authorities.

A Merri-bek City Council spokeswoman said the council cancelled the event “based on advice from partnership agencies” because of the “risks to safety of staff, the public, and our local community”.

“We apologise for any inconvenience this decision may cause. However, the safety of both the public and our staff will always be a priority for Council.”

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said the decision to cancel the event was “ultimately made by the council” after a “risk assessment” was conducted involving several partners and agencies.

The ENCC was contacted for comment.